[fatmasc]

Hey i’m a fashion design student so i have tons and tons of pdfs and docs with basic sewing techniques, pattern how-tos, and resources for fabric and trims. I’ve compiled it all into a shareable folder for anyone who wants to look into sewing and making their own clothing. I’ll be adding to this folder whenever i come across new resources

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/16uhmMb8kE4P_vOSycr6XSa9zpmDijZSd?usp=sharing

[fatmasc]

Updated just now with new hand sewing resources (mainly buttonholes) and textbook pdfs on fashion history, fashion illustration, and thinking through designs!

[emi1y]

[chasing-asterion]

How to Build a Chronic Pain First Aid Kit

Disclaimers: This is what’s in my kit, what I need for my condition. You need to do what’s right for you.

I have severe fibromyalgia, asthma, autism, vision impairment, anxiety, OCD, depression, BPD. The first three are what the kit is for.

Now, I’ve done this before but now that I’m flying out of the country soon, I had to rework my kit. It showed me that my flare box (which lives at home) and my backpack kit need to be the same thing because I can’t be swapping items all the time. If I have a meltdown or flare outside, it does me no good if my best products are in my home-flare box.

When I go out it fits in my little backpack alongside water, umbrella, wheelchair gloves, wallet, and emergency external battery for my phone.

At home the kit lives in my walker alongside emergency food and water, flare medications, ereader, 7 day pill wallet, and noise cancelling headphones.

I used to prep for “pack enough to get me home safely.” Now its, “Pack so I can stay out longer and enjoy myself more.”

Okay let’s get started.

What You’ll Need

1. Small travel cosmetics bag

I say ‘travel’ because they’re more compact with more storage space. (Available on eBay, most drug stores/chemists) 

This is mine, I got it on eBay for $10. It folds out, has lots of compartments, and a handle on the other side.

2. Invisible hair elastics (the kind for tiny braids) for packing/containing

3. Tiny sauce portion cups (or zip lock sandwich bags)

What to Pack

Here’s what’s in mine that helps me: 

(from top to bottom) 

Instant heat pack (has a little chemical compartment in the centre that bursts under pressure and turns it hot.) 

Physio band for stretching aching joints - this is especially helpful if you have to be sitting for long periods, wheelchair, planes, class etc. Use invisible hair elastic to keep it rolled up

Disposable vomit bag 

Baby wipes - sweating, vomit

Compression gloves for when my joints start to ache and my hands tremble

Tissues

Bandaids (learning to push a wheelchair will shred your fingers when you’re starting out) 

Roll on oil for headaches and anxiety

Spare batteries for TENS machine

TENS machine - gently shocks my muscles to make my back let go of my ribcage

Deep Heat for aching legs

Anti inflammatory gel for shoulders and hands

Emergency medication - nausea, pain, nerve blockers, migraines

Mars Bar for low blood sugar

Squishy stim toy for meltdowns and anxiety

Ear plugs (set) for serious sensory overload - don’t use dirty ear plugs, you can get infections. I have noise cancelling headphones as well but they aren’t as good as ear plugs in emergencies. 

Listerine breath strips - in case I puke, also some meds taste vile. 

Inhalers (steroid and ventolin) 

All packed up, this is what my kit looks like: 

I would be really grateful if people could reblog this to help other spoonies. If you have other ideas, I would love to hear them! 

Please reblog with your condition and what helps you. Spoonies need to look out for each other.

[trash-slvt]

My Wheelchair Mods

USB Ports: My phone never dies now and it doesn’t even noticeably drain my battery

Seat Warmers: just some cheap usb heating pads i got off ebay. because i’m not moving, i get cold really easily. this keeps me nice and toasty

Cane Holder: just a piece of pvc pipe i zip tied to my chair and some velcro to stop it rattling

Side Bag: this is made for a pram but its sooooo useful! the big pocket has three sections which can hold drinks, phones, whatever, and the little pocket unzips and i keep loose change in it

Legrest Holder: This bit of velcro holds my leg rests out of the way so i can get closer to a table. i normally sit cross-legged when im not moving. Also i coated the legs in rubber paint. i bang into things a lot and also its purple and pretty

Umbrella Holder: this is where my umbrella sits when i’m not using it -and- Drink Holder: This holds my drink bottle. its also made for prams but its great to have easy access to water. -and- Bag Holder: Also from the pram section, i have these little clips on my handles that hold plastic bags. i can carry a whole cart worth of shopping on these

Umbrella Stand: this is a microphone stand, velcro and zip ties. it all folds away neatly but it will (hopefully) keep me dry without costing me my only free hand 

Feel free to reply or message me if you are looking at modifying your chair and want some tips!

[surviving-strider]

Does anyone have information on fibromyalgia or Hypothyroidism? I'm finally deciding to go to a doctor for my chronic pain and fatigue that's been worsening a lot the past couple months and they seem like the main two possibilities from my current research. Right now, I've got no real knowledge beyond like... WebMD though.

I'm going to student health through my University soon, but I don't expect to have much help with the first appointment, so I'm trying to do as much as I can to stay working and not in terrible pain or exhausted until I can get like. Actual medical accomodations or something.

Any knowledge anyone has would be incredibly useful. Also, if anyone knows blogs dedicated to chronic illness in general, that's a community I want to find!

(I'm trying to add a lot of tags, so sorry if I use the wrong ones!)

[surviving-strider]

Question for the DID/OSDD communities

Hey DID/OSDD communities, i have a question. It's gonna be a bit long, because I feel like my symptoms need context.

So I, currently, am diagnosed with schizoprenia. My main symptom is voices in my head(my psych called them internal auditory hallucinations) that have full personalities and everything, much like alters, but before recently, I had no reason to believe they were anything but voices.

They've existed as long as I can remember, but it's not always the same ones. I know new ones tend to form with trauma. I have childhood trauma and don't really remember before it, so i can't say if they came before or after. Most of them since I started really noticing they weren't a normal thing have been fictives/factives(I'm using DID terminology bc idk a better word), but recently I've had ones pop up that were very much there own people. One has been very insistent that he is not just a voice, but that he can, at least to some extent, control the body. There are times where I think he might be, but as soon as I realize he might be, I panic and take it back.

A few weeks ago, i had a panic attack, and about three of the voices were arguing, and would start saying things they were saying without realizing? And I've been sometimes getting times where I don't feel like I'm the one reacting to things emotionally? Like. My body will be reacting as if I'm stressed/angry(like, shaking and stuff), but i won't. Feel it emotionally.

I'm starting to think I might have OSDD or something, but my psych dismissed it bc i don't have amnesia. I know tumblr isn't the best place to ask, but right now I just don't really know of any good resources. I'm trying to find a new psychiatrist (mostly bc I've moved out of state), so I'm looking for one that has knowledge of Disassociative disorders and schizoprenia anyway, but i want to know how much I should be keeping track of it.

(adding both did/OSDD and schizoprenia tags so ppl w schizoprenia can tell me if they have/haven't had the these symptoms too)

[surviving-strider]

Question for the DID/OSDD communities

Hey DID/OSDD communities, i have a question. It's gonna be a bit long, because I feel like my symptoms need context.

So I, currently, am diagnosed with schizoprenia. My main symptom is voices in my head(my psych called them internal auditory hallucinations) that have full personalities and everything, much like alters, but before recently, I had no reason to believe they were anything but voices.

They've existed as long as I can remember, but it's not always the same ones. I know new ones tend to form with trauma. I have childhood trauma and don't really remember before it, so i can't say if they came before or after. Most of them since I started really noticing they weren't a normal thing have been fictives/factives(I'm using DID terminology bc idk a better word), but recently I've had ones pop up that were very much there own people. One has been very insistent that he is not just a voice, but that he can, at least to some extent, control the body. There are times where I think he might be, but as soon as I realize he might be, I panic and take it back.

A few weeks ago, i had a panic attack, and about three of the voices were arguing, and would start saying things they were saying without realizing? And I've been sometimes getting times where I don't feel like I'm the one reacting to things emotionally? Like. My body will be reacting as if I'm stressed/angry(like, shaking and stuff), but i won't. Feel it emotionally.

I'm starting to think I might have OSDD or something, but my psych dismissed it bc i don't have amnesia. I know tumblr isn't the best place to ask, but right now I just don't really know of any good resources. I'm trying to find a new psychiatrist (mostly bc I've moved out of state), so I'm looking for one that has knowledge of Disassociative disorders and schizoprenia anyway, but i want to know how much I should be keeping track of it.

(adding both did/OSDD and schizoprenia tags so ppl w schizoprenia can tell me if they have/haven't had the these symptoms too)

[surviving-strider]

Question for the DID/OSDD communities

Hey DID/OSDD communities, i have a question. It's gonna be a bit long, because I feel like my symptoms need context.

So I, currently, am diagnosed with schizoprenia. My main symptom is voices in my head(my psych called them internal auditory hallucinations) that have full personalities and everything, much like alters, but before recently, I had no reason to believe they were anything but voices.

They've existed as long as I can remember, but it's not always the same ones. I know new ones tend to form with trauma. I have childhood trauma and don't really remember before it, so i can't say if they came before or after. Most of them since I started really noticing they weren't a normal thing have been fictives/factives(I'm using DID terminology bc idk a better word), but recently I've had ones pop up that were very much there own people. One has been very insistent that he is not just a voice, but that he can, at least to some extent, control the body. There are times where I think he might be, but as soon as I realize he might be, I panic and take it back.

A few weeks ago, i had a panic attack, and about three of the voices were arguing, and would start saying things they were saying without realizing? And I've been sometimes getting times where I don't feel like I'm the one reacting to things emotionally? Like. My body will be reacting as if I'm stressed/angry(like, shaking and stuff), but i won't. Feel it emotionally.

I'm starting to think I might have OSDD or something, but my psych dismissed it bc i don't have amnesia. I know tumblr isn't the best place to ask, but right now I just don't really know of any good resources. I'm trying to find a new psychiatrist (mostly bc I've moved out of state), so I'm looking for one that has knowledge of Disassociative disorders and schizoprenia anyway, but i want to know how much I should be keeping track of it.

(adding both did/OSDD and schizoprenia tags so ppl w schizoprenia can tell me if they have/haven't had the these symptoms too)